“Chuck: The Complete First Season”-Own it on DVD September 16, 2008
- Release Date: September 16, 2008
- Publisher: Warner Bros.
- Price: $25.49 on Amazon.com
- Rating: Not Rated (nothing is really anything worse than a PG-13 action movie)
- Run Time: 556 minutes
- Starring: Zachary Levi (”Less Than Perfect”), Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez (Recurring on “Invasion” and “Without a Trace”), Sarah Lancaster (”What About Brian,” “Everwood”), Adam Baldwin (”Firefly,” “Day Break,” “The Inside”)
- Bonus Features: Declassified Scenes, “Chuck on Chuck” Featurette, “Chuck’s World” (casting sessions and extra character development), “Chuck vs. the Chuckles” (gag reel), “Chuck’s Online World” (web-originated featurettes), Madden NFL 09 Demo on Xbox 360
- Genre: Action, Comedy
- Buy It on Amazon.com
In a year chock full of great new shows, “Chuck” was probably the best of them all. The show does such a great job of mixing action with humor that nearly everyone should enjoy it. If you are a nerd like me, you’ll absolutely love it.
Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) is your normal computer geek who works at the Nerd Herd (which is very similar to Best Buy’s Geek Squad) within the BuyMore. After his best friend from college sends him a file that downloads all the government’s secret files to his brain, his world is turned upside down. Chuck is quickly put in danger and two government agents, the hard-nosed John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and the lovely Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), are tasked to keep him safe from weekly danger.
While “Chuck” is obviously rather geeky there is still a lot for non-geeks to enjoy. The show is very funny (especially for nerds like me) and the action sequences are some of the best on television. Basically if you like spy shows with a lot of humor, “Chuck” is the perfect show for you. There is also a bit of romance with Chuck always hoping his relationship with Sarah could get a bit more personal.
Also in Chuck’s favor is the spectacular cast. Everybody plays their role perfectly and even though they only got thirteen episodes, the chemistry is top-notch. Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez have some of the best male buddy chemistry in the business. Strahovski is a great find and she will certainly be a star in the industry for years to come. Adam Baldwin isn’t a surprise since he was so great in “Firefly” but he does a similarly awesome job in “Chuck.” Other than “Lost” and “How I Met Your Mother” (I know, this is an odd choice but I love the chemistry on this show), “Chuck” may have the best cast on TV.
The show is also very impressive visually, even on DVD (the Blu-ray version comes out in two months). The picture quality is crystal clear and all the action sequences are impressive visually. Sound quality is also perfect.
The only problem with the set is the lack of quality special features. While there are a few things on the set, none of them are really interesting. I’m a huge “Chuck” fan (it came in third in my initial TV show power rankings) and I really didn’t get any enjoyment from the extras. “Chuck on Chuck” runs 26:54 and features cast and crew members talking about their favorite scenes. This feature wasn’t for me and I didn’t even finish it. “Chuck vs. the Chuckles” (7:15) is an average gag reel featuring all the blown lines, nose picking, and strange dancing that can be found on most gag reels. The declassified scenes are fine but not something you need to watch. Finally, “Chuck’s Online World” is a series of interviews with minor characters at the Buy More.
“Chuck” is a phenomenal show that nearly anyone would enjoy. However, the show could use a few million extra viewers and hopefully this DVD set will help. If you are a geek or enjoy spy shows or dramadies, “Chuck” is definitely for you. Highly recommended.
It is with the approach of winter that cats wear their richest fur and assume an air of sumptuous and delightful opulence. — Pierre Loti